Here's Yorkshire in a Nutshell

Population:

5.3 million, according to the ONS census of March 2011

County size:

Yorkshire is the largest county in the UK, spanning 2.9 million acres. It is often
split into three geographical areas; North, West or the East
Riding. The North and East Riding of Yorkshire are more rural areas, whilst the West Riding is much more
urbanised.

Economy:

The economy is worth an astonishing £110bn per year - that's around twice the size of Wales and larger than 11 EU countries.

Largest cities:

The 3 largest cities in Yorkshire (with a population over 0.5 million) are
Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford.

York:

York is the county town of Yorkshire, famous for the Minster cathedral, the Shambles and its well preserved enclosing walls.

Religion:

The majority of the population of Yorkshire consider themselves Christian, in keeping
with the rest of the British population.

Language:

English is the main language spoken in Yorkshire, but the diverse community has
led to many school children having more than one language. Bradford in particular
is very linguistically diverse, with 43% of primary school children having English
as their second language.

Olympics:

If Yorkshire were an independent country it would have finished an incredible twelfth
on the league table in the 2012 Olympics, gaining 7 Golds, 2 Silvers and 3 Bronze.
Athletes include Jessica Ennis, who competed in the Heptathlon, boxer Nicola Adams
and cyclist Ed Clancy. In 2016 Yorkshire re-affirmed its Olympic status with a remarkable 14th place on the league table.

Tour de France:

The first stage of the 2014 Tour de France started from Leeds Town Hall on Saturday 5th July 2014 and passed
through 190 km (120 miles) of gorgeous North Yorkshire countryside, including the
splendid Pennine section of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, before reaching Harrogate,
where the first Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France 2014 was awarded. On the
second day, riders left the historic city of York for Sheffield on a very
tricky 200-km (125 miles) stage whose final section, especially with the formidable
Holme Moss to climb, resembles a short Liège Bastogne Liège.

Coast:

The eastern border of Yorkshire is it's 45 mile long coastline, looking out
onto the North Sea. It includes the popular holiday spots of Whitby (the landing
spot of Dracula in Bram Stoker's novel), Bridlington, Robin Hood Bay and Hornsea
(well known in the surfing community). Many, such as Scarborough (our largest holiday resort), have been awarded the Blue Flag label
for sustainability.

National Parks:

Yorkshire has two complete National Parks within its boundaries: the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors,
covering 1,762km
2
and 1436km
2
respectively. Together they
attract around 20.3 million visitors per year.
The superb Peak District, proud to be Britain's first National Park, is an ideal place to visit in South Yorkshire and beyond.
Both inside and outside of these National Parks are many, many walking
and cycling routes.

History:

Yorkshire has a long history of battle and conquests. In the Roman period, York
was named as the joint-capital of Roman Britain; many Roman roads still exist around
Yorkshire. When the Vikings invaded Britain, York was captured and renamed Jorvik
- it became the new capital of the Danish kingdom. Over 500 years later, many battles
in the War of the Roses took place. The Battle of Towton even claims to title of
the bloodiest battle fought on English soil.

Religious sites:

Yorkshire also has a rich religious history, containing many notable places of worship
such as York Minster, Selby Abbey and Rotherham Minster. There are also many old
ruins highlighting a conflicting past, including Easby Abbey, Richmond; Monk Bretton
Priory, Barnsley; and Bolton Abbey, Skipton.

Markets:

Every day of the week sees markets opening up in various places in Yorkshire, including
Beverley, Wetherby and Knaresborough.

Food:

The county's most well-known delicacy, by far, is the Yorkshire pudding. This
is not all there is to Yorkshire food though - Wensleydale cheese originates from
here, the Rhubarb Triangle is situated in West Yorkshire and The Magpie Cafe in
Whitby offers award-winning Fish 'n' Chips.

Industry:

Manufacturing accounted for 15.3% of Yorkshire and The Humber output in 2010, compared
with the average of 10.8% for the UK. Official statistics estimate just under 45,000
people are employed in the agricultural industry (LANTRA). Many businesses have
also been founded in Yorkshire, such as Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Tetley's
Brewery and Little Chef.